rail [railrailsrailedrailing] noun, verb BrE [reɪl] NAmE [reɪl] noun 1. countable a wooden or metal bar placed around sth as a barrier or to provide support • She leaned on the ship's rail and gazed out to sea. see also ↑guard rail, ↑handrail 2. countable a bar fixed to the wall for hanging things on •a picture/curtain/towel rail 3. countable, usually plural each of the two metal bars that form the track that trains run on 4. uncountable (often before another noun)railways/railroads as a means of transport •to travel by rail •rail travel/services/fares •a rail link/network more at jump the rails at ↑jumpv.
Word Origin: n. and Middle English Old French reille ‘iron rod’ Latin regula ‘straight stick, rule’ v. late Middle English French railler Provençal ralhar ‘to jest’ Latin rugire ‘to bellow’
Example Bank: •He uses a combination of commuter rail and subway to get to work. •Lace curtains hung from the brass rails over the bed. •Many business people now opt for high-speed rail rather than flying. •She climbed onto the top fence rail. •She held tightly on to the rail. •She was worried her son was going to go completely off the rails. •The gun is mounted on rails. •The train came off the rails. •The train thundered along the rails. •Trams run along rails. •We went from London to Budapest by rail. •Weeds grew between the rails. •efforts to modernize the rail network •heated towel rails •the Channel Tunnel rail link •A child was seen crossing the rails. •After the accident a guard rail was placed all the way along the cliff path. •She came slowly down the stairs, holding the banister rail. •There was thick dust on the picture rail. •They stood leaning on the ship's rail and watched the sunset. •a towel rail Idioms: ↑get back on the rails▪ ↑go off the rails Derived: ↑rail something in
verb intransitive, transitive ~ (at/against sth/sb) | + speech (formal) to complain about sth/sb in a very angry way Syn: ↑rage • She railed against the injustice of it all. Verb forms:
Word Origin: n. and Middle English Old French reille ‘iron rod’ Latin regula ‘straight stick, rule’ v. late Middle English French railler Provençal ralhar ‘to jest’ Latin rugire ‘to bellow’
